The Seattle Sounders will host Louisville City in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on May 8 at Starfire Stadium, following Thursday’s draw. Louisville currently are tied for the second-most points in the USL (12) and have the most goals scored (16). In the Round of 16, the winner of this game will host the winner of Phoenix Rising-North Carolina FC, both of whom play in the USL Championship as well.
The Sounders will be attempting to become the first MLS team to win a fifth U.S. Open Cup title, which would also tie them for the most all-time. The Sounders last won the tournament in 2014, but have not advanced beyond the quarterfinals since then and won just two total games in the last five editions of the tournament.
Although the Sounders have never played Louisville in a competitive match, they should have some familiarity. Not only did they face off in a preseason game last year, but former Sounders Academy players Ray Serrano and Jake Morris are both starters for Louisville. Serrano, in fact, is one of their leading scorers, with two goals and three assists through five games.
Jeremiah Oshan
“We know they’re one of the better teams in the USL,” Sounders right back Alex Roldan said following Thursday’s training session. “They want to go on a run, we know that. It’s a tournament we’re taking seriously. It’s a berth in Champions League, it’s another direct route to get into a tournament we want to get back into. We want to be back in those tournaments, competing against the world’s teams. If that’s our chance, we’re going to take it.
“It’s a tournament we should be competing it and one in which we’ve historically had success. We’re excited for it, it’s a good opportunity to win a trophy and get some players rotated in.”
